


Take My Hand

by Sanctum_Sanctorum



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Boys In Love, Established Relationship, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-05-10 00:33:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14726592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sanctum_Sanctorum/pseuds/Sanctum_Sanctorum
Summary: Tony Stark never knew happiness until he met Stephen Strange. So when he sees his boyfriend suffering he makes it his life goal to help him. He built an Iron Man suit in a cave with a box of scraps but can he build gloves that will allow Stephen to use his hands again?





	Take My Hand

**Author's Note:**

> This fic started as a headcanon I tweeted and I couldn't stop thinking about it so I expanded on it. I hope you like it!

“FRIDAY how much longer?” 

“Three minutes, sir,” answered the AI immediately. 

Tony sighed and ran a hand through his hair. It had been a long time since he’d had a project this challenging and every time he thought he was finally getting somewhere he hit a setback. He could have built a hundred Iron Man suits and given Peter’s spidey gear a complete remodelling in the time he’d spent on this new venture. 

As he waited, Tony pulled up more blueprints and studied them to see if he had missed something in the specifications. He found himself wincing at some of his old plans, how had he thought some of these things would work? 

“Sir, the latest prototype is ready,” said FRIDAY interrupting Tony from his thoughts. 

“Show me,” answered Tony taking his coffee cup from the counter and downing the last mouthful he pulled a face at the too cold and too bitter coffee as FRIDAY presented him with the latest model of his project. 

Tony picked up his new invention and smiled despite himself. This is exactly what he had in mind when he thought of making the gloves for Stephen. Since they began dating and Tony realised just how much pain his boyfriend was constantly in with his hands he had wanted to do something about it. He had wanted to really do something about it. He knew there was no medical procedure out there that could offer Stephen any relief because Stephen had already bankrupted himself trying them all and he knew that most meds Stephen could try were often either did not offer much relief or carried side effects that Stephen was unwilling to put up with even if it meant his hands throbbed less. It was almost three months ago when the idea of designed gloves that would enhance Stephen’s mobility and hopefully limit the pain he experienced daily came into his head. He had already built tech that allowed Rhodey to walk again so what was stopping him from designed gloves that allowed Stephen to use his hands again? 

It turned out that that was much easier said than done and Tony had only really made progress in his designs in the last week or so. He had often felt like scrapping the project and giving up but then he would watch as Stephen dropped his toothbrush as he brushed his teeth or gave up on wearing a dress shirt for the day because he couldn’t do up the buttons or the grimace of pain he wore when he thought Tony wasn’t looking and he knew he had to make these gloves even if it was the last thing he ever did. As he held them in his hands he finally felt like he had done it, they were exactly as he had imagined them all those weeks ago and they were finally coming together. “You’ve really outdone yourself this time, Stark,” he said out loud. “Like wow.”

“I think you should go ahead and marry yourself babe,” said a voice from behind him. “You just say the sweetest things about yourself.”

Tony jumped surprised. He hadn’t heard anyone coming into the lab and he quickly threw the gloves under his discarded hoodie.

He swivelled around in his chair to face his boyfriend, Stephen Strange. The man was barefoot and wearing dark flannel pyjama bottoms and a faded David Bowie shirt. His hair was a shaggy mess on top of his head. Tony loved Stephen’s bedhead. Usually the man didn’t have a single hair out of place but to see him all soft and scruffy like this when he had just woken up always made him smile. 

Christ, he was so in love. 

Stephen smiled at him then and cocked his head to the side. “You okay, babe?”

Tony stood up and closed the distance between himself and Stephen. “I am now,” he said as he put his arms around Stephen’s neck and pulled him in for a kiss. Stephen smiled against his mouth and Tony deepened the kiss. "Why are you still awake?"

"My hands are giving me trouble tonight," mumbled Stephen. "The pain woke me up and you weren't in bed so... I went looking for you."

Tony furrowed his brow. "How are your hands?" 

Stephen simply shrugged. "They are what they are," he said vaguely. 

Tony opened his mouth to ask him again but Stephen stopped him with another kiss. Tony sighed softly. He wanted to ask Stephen again if he was okay but he knew Stephen didn't like talking about his hands and judging on his mood now he seemed to be okay. 

Stephen finally broke away just to pull Tony in closer and kiss the top of his head. “Come to bed,” he said. 

“I’m almost done down here,” said Tony in return. “Twenty minutes tops.”

Stephen began to trail kisses down Tony’s jaw and neck. “You said that three hours ago.”

“I know, I know,” sighed Tony. “I had a bit of a setback but really it won’t be long now.”

Stephen stopped kissing Tony’s neck to look at him. “What are you making anyway?”

“Oh, just something for Peter," he lied easily. "It’s nothing really but I know I won’t be able to sleep until I finish it.” 

Stephen tilted his head. “Who said when I was asking you to come to bed that I meant to sleep?” 

Tony laughed and pulled Stephen down for another kiss. The taller man eagerly met his mouth and deepened the kiss. Stephen put his hands on Tony's hips and led him back towards the bench. Tony wrapped his arms around Stephen's neck and when the back of his legs hit the bench he pulled himself up to sit on it and spread his leg so Stephen could stand between them. Stephen began to laugh against his mouth and Tony smiled. "What?"

"You're the same height standing up as you are sitting on the bench." 

"Fuck you."

"Please do." 

Tony threw his head back and laughed again before focusing back on Stephen who gave him a huge bright grin. Stephen had the most beautiful smile. His whole face lit up when he smiled. Stephen had shown Tony a lot of amazing things since they first met, things that Tony thought were impossible, magic that Tony thought was only possible in books yet the most enchanting thing about Stephen was his smile. Tony loved his teeth and the shape of his rosy lips and his prominent cupid's bow. Stephen had a mouth that looked like it had been carved by Michelangelo and Tony couldn't believe his luck that he could kiss those lips.

"I love you so much," said Tony as he wrapped his arms tighter around Stephen's neck and pulled him forward so their foreheads rested against each other. It was no exaggeration that Tony's life had had a lot of bleak moments over the last few years. He felt like he had lived in the darkness. He sometimes felt he could count on one hand the amount of times he had genuinely smiled since Afghanistan. His whole life had felt like continuously being punched in the gut. Every time he felt like he was finally getting his life back on track he was thrown to the ground and punched again. 

Then he met Stephen. 

Stephen picked him up from the ground and cleaned his wounds and held him close and listened to him and put him first. Stephen understood what it felt like to make huge sacrifices for others and he knew what real pain felt like. Stephen just got it. In a world that was once full of pain and darkness for Tony, Stephen was a shining star forever burning brightly and ensuring Tony was never left alone in the darkness again. 

Stephen nuzzled Tony's nose and smiled softly. "I am quite the catch," he said playfully. 

Tony kissed him softly. "You've no idea, babe."

"Come to bed with me, Anthony," purred Stephen his deep voice resonating and sending shivers down Tony's spine. 

Tony took Stephen's mouth in his own once more. He never wanted to stop kissing him. He never wanted to stop touching him, tasting him, being with him. He'd give up every dime to his name, every invention he ever designed, every model of the Iron Man suits he ever sketched never mind built if it meant he could spend even an extra minute in his lover's company. He had never felt like this about anyone before. He thought back to Yinsen all those years ago in the goddamn cave... 

"So you're a man who has everything... and nothing." 

Now he truly did have everything. 

Stephen was his everything. 

Stephen taught him how to be happy again and if he could even make Stephen a fraction as happy as the sorcerer made him then he would consider that his life's greatest achievement.

Which is why he knew the gloves needed to be perfect.

He finally broke the kiss. "I'll be up to bed shortly, babe," he said. "I promise. I just need a few more minutes down here to finish up and then I'm all yours." 

Stephen smiled softly, his bright eyes meeting Tony's chocolate brown ones. "Don't take too long, okay?" 

Tony kissed him one last time. "Promise."

Stephen smiled once more before finally turning around and walking out of the lab. Tony released a breath he didn't even know he was holding and went back to his bench and pulled his hoodie off the gloves. He picked them up in his hands and studied them carefully. They were perfect and he hoped to God they worked because if he had done this right they would make Stephen so happy and his boyfriend's happiness meant more to him than he could even attempt to put into words. They just needed some final aesthetic adjustments and they would be ready. With a contented sigh Tony placed them back down on the bench and began to type away on his keyboard with the last few adjustments that needed to be made before he could go up and join Stephen in bed. 

**

Tony was so excited as he put the final touches to the wrapping paper on his gift for Stephen. It had been two weeks sine the night he finished the gloves and he was ten times happier with the latest model that set wrapped up in the small parcel on his desk. His heart raced in his chest at the thoughts of giving the gloves to Stephen, he had been working on this for so long and he felt as if he was truly presenting his heart to Stephen in giving him the gloves. He stroked his thumb against the delicate paper before taking one last deep breath, picking up the box and stepping out of the lab in search of Stephen. 

He found him sprawled out on the couch in the living room watching some trashy reality show and he smiled. “Does Wong know the Master of the New York Sanctum is spending his Thursday afternoon watching a show about people obsessed with coupons?”

“It’s my day off,” protested Stephen. “Besides… Wong is the one who told me about this show.”

Tony laughed. “I really doubt that, babe.”

Stephen pulled himself up on the couch to turn and face Tony but his boyfriend was already beside him and leaned down for a kiss. Stephen hummed in delight and Tony felt his heart race again. God, he really loved this man. He broke the kiss and Stephen gave him a pout when Tony pulled away. “Hey,” he said. 

“I’ve got something for you,” said Tony. As he took the present from behind his back and handed it to Stephen before he took Stephen's mouth in his own once more.

Stephen looked up at Tony surprised. "It's not my birthday," he said.

"I know." 

"It's not Christmas either."

"I am aware of that fact."

"And it isn't Valentine's Day."

"I do own a calendar, Stephen."

"Nor our anniversary."

"Can't a guy just get his boyfriend a present for no reason anymore?"

Stephen dipped his head and fiddled with the wrapped parcel on his lap. He wasn't used to people buying him things just for the sake of it. When you didn't even have a friend who you could stay with when you were evicted from your home well... you didn't expect to get gifts from anyone. Not anymore. 

"Tony," he said but his voice caught in his throat. "You really didn't have to get me anything."

"You haven't even opened it yet."

"I don't deserve gifts like this, Tony."

Stephen looked back up at Tony and there was a vulnerable look in his eyes that instantly made Tony's chest feel tight. Tony walked around the couch and sat on the coffee table and leant forward and placed a steady hand on his boyfriend's knee. "Don't ever say that," he said finally. 

"Tony, I-

"No, Stephen... please," said Tony. "You're worth it to me. You're worth everything to me... You're... you're the best thing that has ever happened to me Stephen, you're my entire world."

Stephen pulled Tony into a hug and buried his face against Tony's neck. “I don't deserve you, Tony." 

"You deserve so much more than me."

Stephen pulled Tony into a kiss, he wanted to kiss him forever. A time loop of just them, just the two of them here in this moment for eternity. Stephen knew pain. He had faced his own death more times than he could even begin to comprehend and he knew just how powerful the dark entities that wished to destroy his universe were. He knew the destruction they could cause and he knew they would not stop until humankind was eradicated and the world was nothing but a despondent wasteland, a shell of what she used to be. He had witnessed the destruction of his people and the fall of the universe over 14 million times and although the nightmares often kept him awake and he often woke Tony with his blood curdling screams at 4am as he relived one of those horrible scenarios, he would never give up on protecting the universe because the man in his arms was worth every nightmare. He was worth every dark memory, he was worth ever shiver of pain that shot through Stephen’s body. He would live through the pain again and again until the day he died if it meant Tony could even have a minute of happiness. Tony Stark’s smile was worth a lifetime of anguish and Stephen would gladly sacrifice himself to ensure Tony never experienced even a second of sorrow again. 

Tony was his past, his present and his future. 

Tony broke the kiss and nuzzled Stephen's nose. "Open your present." 

Stephen gave Tony a soft smile. Tony loved those soft smiles, the way the crinkles at his eyes and the glow in his cheeks and the life a smile brought to his eyes. Christ, he was beautiful. 

Tony watched as Stephen toyed with the parcel in his hands, the younger man's shaking fingers tracing the tape that held the paper together and he knew Stephen was trying to deduce what was in the packet before opening it. Tony had taken extra care wrapping the present to ensure Stephen could open it easily. He still felt guilty thinking of last Christmas when he had wrapped a ribbon around Stephen's gift and he couldn't open it with his trembling hands. Tony shook his head at the memory. He didn't like thinking about that Christmas. 

The rustling of paper woke Tony from his thoughts and he looked back at Stephen who had opened out the wrapping paper on his lap and revealed his gift. 

Stephen gently lifted the gloves from the paper and studied them. 

"These are what you were making in your lab."

Tony nodded. "Here let me help you put them on."

Tony took Stephen's wrist gently in his hands and took one of the gloves and slipped it on Stephen's hand. The material instantly tightened around Stephen's hand. Stephen flinched at the suddenness of the movement. 

"Did I hurt you?" asked Tony concerned.

"No... that just surprised me."

Tony sighed relieved as he took the other glove and put it on Stephen. Stephen watched Tony as the second glove fastened tightly around his hand. 

Tony held onto Stephen's wrists and looked up to meet Stephen's eyes. "Make a fist," he said softly. 

Stephen looked down at his own hands and slowly made fist with both of his hands. His fingers did not tremble and his hands didn't shake. The dull ache that had become a constant wasn't there.

"Tony-

"It's a new material I designed. It's mark xii of what I used to make Peter's suit. they'll enhance your mobility, lessen the strain on your nerves, minimise your tremor and hopefully-

"They don't hurt."

Tony smiled. "Hopefully lessen the chronic ache,” he finished. 

Tony reached behind him for a pad of paper and a pen. "Try and sign your name," he said handing the paper and pen to Stephen.

Stephen took the pen and paper cautiously from Tony. Writing was something he had long since given up on. Hell, he could hardly hold a pen never mind write with one but he would humour Tony. 

He placed the paper pad on his knee and adjusted the pen in his hand. It felt unnatural to hold a pen again, it was like the first class in school on the morning after summer vacation when you had to teach yourself how to write again after a summer of doing nothing. He felt like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

"Just try it, Stephen," prompted Tony gently. 

Stephen nodded softly and with a deep breath he brought the pen to the paper. 

He wrote his name almost effortlessly.

Stephen could hardly breathe. 

He looked back up at Tony. 

"I can write," he said.

Tony flashed him the most genuine smile. "I know, babe."

Stephen took the pen to the paper again and signed his name once more. Granted, it wasn't quite as elegant as his old signature but when he wrote his fingers did not tremble, the paper did not shake and the pen did not wobble. He was in control. For the first time in years he was in control of his hands. 

Stephen threw the paper and pen on the sofa and pulled Tony into a hug. "I can't believe you did this for me," he said. 

"I can't believe I took so long to do this for you," said Tony in return. 

Stephen pulled back from the hug and ran his fingers down Tony's arm, tracing a line from his inner elbow to his wrist before placing his hand over Tony's and interlocking their fingers. He squeezed Tony's hand tighter and gasped.

"What's wrong?" asked Tony concerned. 

Stephen was crying. 

“Shit,” thought Tony. The gloves didn't work, his hands must still hurt. Tony felt like a failure. He'd spent weeks working on these gloves and he had failed Stephen. 

"This is the first time I've ever held your hand and not been in pain," whispered Stephen softly. 

Tony felt his heart skip a beat.

"I can... I can finally hold your hand, Tony," said Stephen his voice breaking as he said Tony's name. 

Tony's eyes welled up and he pushed forward and met Stephen's mouth with his own, pressing Stephen back into the couch and sitting above him straddling his hips. Stephen was still holding onto Tony's hands which left their position a little awkward but this was the first time they had ever held hands like this and there was no way that Tony would drop his boyfriend's hands now. 

"I love you so much," breathed Stephen against Tony's neck his voice shaking with emotion as the tears fell freely down his face. "So so much."

Tony broke the kiss and pulled himself up. He traced a pattern with his thumbs over the back of Stephen's hands. 

"It doesn't even feel like I'm wearing gloves, it just feels like I'm holding your hand."

Tony smiled and took one of his hands from Stephen's so he could wipe away his boyfriend's tears. 

Stephen took his hands and cupped Tony's face. He trailed a finger down Tony's jawline and chin and stroked his cheek. "You feel so beautiful," he said. "So so beautiful." Stephen rested his palm over Tony's heart and could feel the steady beat under his fingers. 

"You've touched me before," said Tony simply.

"Not like this," said Stephen. "Never like this."

Stephen broke the kiss and gave Tony a tender peck on the nose. They stayed in that moment holding each other for what felt like a long time. Neither man wanting to break the silence. 

"Can these gloves be washed?" asked Stephen finally.

Tony tilted his head. "Yeah of course they can."

"And they will still work?" 

Tony nodded. "Of course, they aren’t the only model I made anyway. Why?" 

Stephen stood up and pulled Tony after him and towards their bedroom. "Good, because what I want to do to you next… I'll definitely have to clean them afterwards" 

"God, I should have made these gloves months ago," laughed Tony as he leaned up to kiss Stephen again. 

"We have a lot of lost time to make up for then," said Stephen giving Tony's arse a firm squeeze before shutting the door behind him and leading his boyfriend to their bed.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are always welcome.


End file.
